Crowns of Honor
by Roisin Dubh Na'Eire
Summary: Not really a fairy tale, just a story I wrote a while ago that twists Ireland legend with Arthurian. Kind of.


Crowns of Glory  
The shadowy figure slowly made it's way down the path to the king's prison huts. Several figures followed, but stopped as he entered the small structure. It headed through the darkness towards one of the sleeping figures and gently shook her awake.  
Mollie McClelhan sat up with a start, fear registering in her green eyes. The figure quickly quieted her, pointing out the sleeping guard by the door. She looked up into the darkness of the hood as the person pushed it back and sighed with relief when the dark hair and emerald eyes of her brother, Robin, were revealed. She stood, pulling the cloak she had used as a blanket over her shoulders and her auburn curls.  
Robin smiled at the dancing green eyes and freckled face of his younger sister, glad that this rescue had succeeded. A tug on his arm brought him to attention and he started towards the door, pulling his sister behind him. They walked quietly towards where the rest of their group was gathering and together began towards the woods.  
At that moment the sound of a bell ringing made the party freeze. Immediately the camp was alive with men running towards the group, swords raised. Robin grabbed Mollie's hand and broke into a run. She tried to keep up, but tripped and was overcome by the camp's men. She reached out a hand towards the figure of her brother and he turned back to look. He stopped and began to run back to Mollie, but one of his comrades grabbed his arm and pulled him away.  
"We'll come back." he yelled and pulled his prince deeper into the woods.  
Mollie struggled against the hands that held her, but to no avail. She looked up, finding the sneering face of King O'Reilly before her.  
"Well, looks like we have ourselves some entertainment for the morrow." he growled and motioned for the men to drag the princess back to the camp.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Father, we must not give in so quickly!! Perhaps with a little more coaxing King O'Reilly will relinquish his hold and agree to rule in peace. Why should we have to give up some of our lands so that he can demand more from the peasants??" Robin McClelhan pleaded with his father.  
The King paced silently, his hands folded in front of him, around the throne room. His son, Prince Robin, and his royal advisors sat at a table nearby, each explaining to the King what this treaty would mean for the future. Robin was on his feet, his green eyes flashing.  
"Father, please. Let me go with you to negotiate with him!!" Robin pleaded.  
The King paced for a few moments more, when they were interrupted. A page stood at the throne room doors, waiting to be acknowledged.  
  
"Sire, your daughter wishes to be granted audience with you," he informed. "She waits outside these doors for your answer."  
The King smiled at the thought of his only daughter; her gentleness was just what he needed right now. "Send her in," he said with a wave of his hand.  
The page nodded and disappeared once again. The doors opened a moment later to reveal the Princess, dressed in a dark green gown embroidered with gold, and her auburn curls pulled into a luxurious plait.  
"Father!!" she cried, voice soft as a kitten's purr. She ran to the King and threw her arms around him. "I missed you at breakfast this morning, where were you??" she asked.  
The King smiled, his blue eyes dancing merrily. "I was in here, taking care of the boring affairs of court, but," he added with a twinkle in his eye. "I should've been out in the gardens with my beautiful daughter."  
The Princess smiled, then turned to Robin, embracing him as well. "And how does my brother fare??" she asked, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
"I'd be much better if our father would take mind of the business at hand and then have his pleasure." he teased.  
She giggled and curtsied to the advisors. "Good morrow, fine sirs," she said softly.  
"Good morrow, Princess Mollie," they answered, momentarily smiling at the young princess.  
"Father, what is this business with the treaty??" she asked, her face suddenly turning serious.  
He shook his head and remained silent for another few moments. "In two days time we travel to O'Reilly lands to negotiate one last time. Your brother, the Prince, will accompany me," he said finally with a sigh.  
Mollie looked between the two, a feeling of dread washing over her.  
Robin smiled and picked up the parchment of paper on the table. "Good, two days time!!" he called and strode out of the throne room to prepare.  
  
* * * *  
  
Two days later, Mollie stood on her tiptoes beside her father, giving him one last farewell kiss. Her brother took her hand and kissed it, promising to return soon. She begged them to be careful and to return quickly to the castle. Her father mounted his horse and turned him. A few moments later, the group of horsemen accompanying the King and Prince thundered over the drawbridge and towards O'Reilly land.  
The Princess waved her hand as they disappeared over the horizon then quickly covered her mouth to stifle the sobs of some unknown dread that had fallen over her.  
  
* * * *  
  
Mollie walked sorrowfully into the throne room, her green eyes having lost their sparkle. It had been two weeks since her father and brother had left, and still no word of their return or success had reached her. She paced quietly in front of the throne, wondering what could be keeping them from returning to their hearth and home.  
A page ran into the room, interrupting her thoughts. He was out of breath and his eyes were wide with fear. "Princess, come quickly, one of the knights that traveled with your father has returned and I fear he does not bear glad tidings."  
Mollie ran after the page, her heart and mind racing. He led her out into the courtyard where a man sat on the ground. He was almost unrecognizable; his hair and clothes were askew and dirty. His eyes were sad and mournful.  
Mollie knelt down beside him and took his dirty and bloodstained hand into her small one. The sight of blood made her stomach turn in revulsion and fear grip her heart, but she swallowed it and forced herself to remain calm.  
"Brave knight, what news do you bring of my father and brother?" she asked him.  
He looked up and suddenly seemed to realize whom he was talking to. "Princess.your father.and brother...traveling in the woods...a war band..we didn't see them coming...happened so fast..." he gasped.  
"Bring him some water!!" Mollie ordered, then turned her attention back to the knight. "Yes, what of it, what happened??" she asked, her voice beginning to waver.  
"Highness, I'm sorry.." He mumbled after drinking. "Your father, the King, is dead..and your brother, the prisoner of King O'Reilly."  
A gasp rose from those standing around and Mollie raised a shaking hand to her mouth. Her green eyes grew wide in disbelief, then anger, then deepening sadness. "No," she whispered her voice barely audible. "No..NO!!!" her cries grew as tears formed in her eyes and she backed away from the man that had given such crushing news. A great wail rose from her throat and she, unable to control it, allowed the sound to pierce the still air. Sobs racked her small frame and she ran for the shelter of the castle. Once inside the throne room, she threw herself at the foot of her father's chair and cried herself to sleep.  
A few hours later, one of the advisors walked silently into the throne room, stopping and kneeling beside Mollie. "Princess, please, you must wake." he pleaded.  
She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed her hands over her still tear- stained cheeks.  
"Princess, I know this is hard, but we must discuss you being crowned. In the death of your father and absence of your brother, you are the only ruling monarch. Please, you must, before O'Reilly mounts an army and destroys us in the wake of this tragedy."  
Mollie nodded and allowed the advisor to pull her to her feet.  
Four days later, the newly crowned Queen McClelhan rode her horse steadily towards O'Reilly castle, her servants and knights beside her. They rode with a great deal of riches to present to the king, that he might release her brother. Her eyes were as cold as ice and she sat rigidly in the saddle as they passed the place where her father had fought and breathed his last.  
  
* * * *  
  
King O'Reilly sat on his crude makeshift throne in the middle tent of his camp, his head in his hands. He didn't uphold or take any glory from the events of the last few weeks, but with pressure from his own advisors and the restlessness of his people, he had to do what they had suggested; and now, the newly elected queen was all that stood between him and the McClelhan throne.  
He knew that his own goal was to control the whole of the Isle and then divide it among the already ruling monarchs, but this was the only throne that stood in his way. He had killed the king and held the only male heir captive, all that was left was the foolish girl who called herself a queen.  
"Sire, there is a girl here to see you," a guard reported, interrupting his thoughts.  
"Send her away, I have no time for petty complaints right now," he said with a wave of his hand.  
"But sire, this girl is dressed in royal robes and claims to be the holder of the McClelhan throne," the guard continued.  
O'Reilly's eyes widened in interest. "Really?? Send the girl in."  
The guard bowed and a few moments later appeared with a young girl with flaming auburn hair and flashing emerald eyes was shown into the room. Her red dress fell in soft folds down her body, making her look like a regal swan, dressed in her best, with a glittering headband around her head.  
"King O'Reilly, I am Mollie McClelhan, sister to Prince Robin McClelhan, sole heir to the McClelhan throne. I am here to beg for your mercy, that you might release my brother back to me and my people so that he may take his place and my father's crown," she stated simply, not allowing him to hear the hurt in her voice.  
"My dear Princess, I have no intention of keeping your brother here," he replied, voice smooth as silk. "He is to be hanged when we return to my castle in two days time."  
Mollie ran forward, throwing herself at the King's feet. "Please, sire, I beg of you. Release my brother, take me instead, but allow my brother to return home," she cried.  
The king rose from his chair and knelt down beside the weeping princess, lifting her head from the floor. "No, my darling girl, I hold the keys to the McClelhan throne now..and no amount of your tears will bring it back."  
At that moment, a guard ran in. "Sire, the Prince, he's escaped!! A band of warriors came and killed the three guards standing watch and then they disappeared into the woods!"  
O'Reilly's blue eyes hardened and he stood. "Well, don't just stand there you idiot, find them!!!!" He turned back to his personal guards. "Take her and lock her up. I want no one to be able to find her, do you understand??" he ordered.  
The guards nodded and picked the young Princess off the floor, dragging her from the King's presence. Mollie smiled at him as she turned to leave, her green eyes holding a twisted hate. "You see, even now you've lost..and my father's death will be avenged."  
The King watched as they pulled her away, then ordered for double the guards that night. This time, no one would escape alive.  
* * * *  
  
Mollie fell into a fitful sleep that night, images of her brother and father dancing before her mind. She finally fell into blackness, but it wasn't long before it was interrupted again. A dark figure loomed over her and she started to scream, but the figure quieted her, pulling back the hood to reveal her brother's rugged features. She leapt into his arms, a smile back on her face.  
"Robin, I'm so glad you're alright," she whispered.  
He smiled, but then pointed to the sleeping guard by the door. She nodded and grabbed her cloak, pulling it about her shoulders and over her head.  
Robin led her outside to a group of warriors and knights from her castle. They all silently bowed to the Princess, then followed Robin back into the woods. As they reached the edge of the clearing a bell began ringing and soldiers from the camp came racing towards them, swords drawn. She cried out as Robin grabbed her hand and began running.  
She called for him to slow down, but tripped and fell roughly to the ground. Robin turned to help her, but was grabbed by a fellow knight and they continued on, turning around only to mouth that he would return.  
Mollie tried to get up, but two men grabbed her arms and she was yanked to her feet to face the icy blue eyes of King O'Reilly.  
"Well, looks like we'll have some entertainment for the morrow," he growled and waved his hand and the soldiers dragged her back to the camp.  
Daylight peeked over the horizon a short time later and Mollie was called into the throne room for audience with the King.  
"Well, my dear," he cooed as she entered. "It looks as if your brother has abandoned you. Do you have anything to say before I pass sentence on you??"  
Mollie raised her head, her eyes tired and sad. "Only, what is my crime??" she asked wearily.  
The King gave her a confused look, as if she should know the answer to her own question. "Why, for treason against the high throne of Eire," he replied.  
She lowered her head. "I never once swore allegiance to you," she growled.  
A commotion outside broke the silence that followed and the doors to the room swung open and in walked King Robin McClelhan.  
"Great King, I am Robin McClelhan, ruler of the McClelhan lands and sole heir to the throne. I demand you set my sister free, or you will be violating the contents of the contract you have agreed upon."  
O'Reilly seemed to ponder this for a moment and then stood. "I have an offer for you, King McClelhan," he sneered. "Give up your lands to my crown and step down from your throne, and I will free your sister."  
Robin thought for a moment and Mollie silently hoped that he wouldn't do as O'Reilly had commanded. Finally Robin kneeled and removed his crown. "It is as you say, now release my sister and allow us to return home."  
O'Reilly grabbed the throne and nodded. "Go, take your sister, but I wish to never see either of you again. You are banished from my royal court and shall never speak of the McClelhan reign to anyone again."  
Mollie's jaw dropped in protest, but she quickly quieted as Robin stood. "I will do no such thing. You have violated our treaty, Mighty King, and for that you will fall to the people and your reign will be forgotten as quickly as it began." With that, he stepped away, took Mollie's hand and walked from the room. They joined the band of warriors in the forest and together they traveled back to McClelhan castle.  
Robin left the next day to join the ranks and swear allegiance to a rising champion, Arthur of England, daily dreaming of the day he would be restored to his throne and bring peace and prosperity back to his lands.  
  
* * * *  
  
Five years later, Robin knelt before Arthur, the great king of England and Scotland.  
"I, Arthur, do return to thee, Robin, the crown of your father and restore to you, the throne that is rightfully yours. Rise, King Robin of the McClelhan family and line."  
Robin, stood, the crown glittering against his dark brown hair. The company around them cheered and the sounds echoed throughout the great hall of McClelhan castle.  
Mollie ran to her brother, giving him a warm embrace and placing a kiss to his cheeks. "My brother, my king," she whispered and knelt before him, holding to his right hand. The hall silenced and Robin smiled.  
"Rise, my sister, for it was your bravery that gave me this crown. And I will always be grateful to you for that," he replied, pulling her up. "Now, let the festivities begin!!!" he called and the group cheered.  
Laughter and music filled the halls and lifted the heavy veil of oppression from the McClehlhan lands forevermore.  
  
The End 


End file.
